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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. kick — in football
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. march — music
  7. lean — thin
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bore — to tire
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. suit — clothes
  19. branch — a division
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lean — to bend
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com